Featured on Ruffled

Happy Monday! Today I'm sharing with you a project that I started working on last year, was shot this past spring and has finally been reveal on Ruffled - a gorgeous vintage wedding inspiration blog.

I have done several bridal inspiration shoots, but this is the first one where the inspiration was derived from a poem. I think that's what intrigued me most about the project. The Owl and the Pussycat is a poem I remember reading as a kid, and is about an unlikely pair falling in love. What a great premise, no?

Given the characters are animals and the poem sets the pair in a canoe, the wedding was photographed outdoors among water and trees at the Rio Salado Habitat and Restoration Area.

Below is the list of talent that contributed to making this happen:

Photography: Melissa Jill Photography Concept, florist & table/props: Amanda Johnson of Butterfly Petals Invitation & paper suite: Kelly Ashworth Design Stylist: Alex of AVE Styles Dress: Ian Stuart provided by Mariee Gallery Venue: Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area Models: Cody & Jessica Helgeson Makeup: Ashley Nicole Hair: Kim Cornwell

My thoughts by behind the fashion can be summed up in one word, "retro." All of the decor was made up of an eclectic mix of retro pieces, so a skinny black suit, a short wedding dress, cat eye liner and a bouffant hairstyle was a great complement.

You'll also find current popular trends thrown in with the old consisting of coral lips, coral finger nails, colored socks and a tie clip.

I hope you like it. To see more photos from the shoot check out the feature on Ruffled and check out Melissa Jill's blog.

Father's Day Gifts for the City Guy

Father's Day is just around the corner and you may or may not have figured out what to get your hubby or dad. This is Ryan's first "Father's Day." Granted, our bundle of joy isn't quite here to hold in our arms, but in my opinion we're already playing the role of parents doing as much as we can to prepare and protect this baby girl that is growing in my tummy. But here's the deal...Even though I personal shop for people on a regular basis, I ALWAYS struggle with what to get  a guy for a gift (birthday, Father's Day, Christmas, etc.). Why? Well, most of the suggested gifts tend to play off of "manly man" stereotypes, and my guy doesn't fit into that category. He could care less about sports, and instead loves great micro brews, bourbons and hip restaurants. He's a city guy. So, I thought I would make a gift guide featuring items that fit with that lifestyle. Some of them might be a bit pricey, but use them as inspiration to find something similar at an affordable price.

Collar Stiffiners - Chances are the men in your life are bound to wear a button-up shirt from time to time or even daily. Ryan mainly wears these types of shirts or polos. One of the downsides to this style of shirt is that the collar points tends to get worn. Can't have that! So, make sure they have plenty of collar stiffiners. You can buy plastic ones or nice silver or even gold ones and engrave them with something like, "I love you," or the names of your kiddos.

Unique Bottle Openers - Like I mentioned earlier, my guy loves a great Pale Ale. So, a cool bottle opener and a six pack of their favorite specialty beer would be just the ticket.  This opener that is made out of a 50 Caliber bullet is as pretty unique as they get.

Tie Clip - There aren't too many accessories men feel comfortable sporting, but one that is not only a-okay, but is also incredibly stylish is a nice tie clip (see example above). You can also personalize this gift with their initials, the date of your child's birth or your wedding date. It's something that they will have forever and use daily or on special occasions. Take the gift to another level by buying a tie to go with it too. =)

The Man Bag - For some reason my husband loves a good backpack, satchel, briefcase...Any type of man bag. haha. I don't know why, but he always has. I mean, the man is really excited his own diaper bag right now. Who knew?! So, if the special dad in your life is anything like mine, a weekender or a Sketchbook backpack might be just the ticket. To go the extra mile, maybe you can stick a card in the bag with a receipt for a one night stay at a cool hotel.

Watch - Who doesn't love a great watch. For something that always tell the time, it's ironically a timeless accessory. Right now the trend in watches is back to a chronograph face and a simple leather band. Clean and classic. I adore the watches that Uniform Wares offers. They are a bit pricey starting around $200, but they sure are gorgeous.

Sun Glasses - In Arizona you can't live without them. Well, I guess you can if you want to go blind early, but I seriously cannot drive anywhere without eye protection. These unique, wooden sunglasses are head turners for sure! SHWood makes them in all types of styles, so you're bound find a pair that fits his face perfectly.

iPhone Case - Whether they are a full fledged nerd or a hipster with an mac obsession, you can't go wrong with accessories for your computer or cell phone. I love this wooden iphone skin so much. It's modern and masculine in one.

Good luck shopping! Need more menswear inspiration? Don't forget to follow my menswear pinterest board.

Image Sources (photo 1, photo 2, photo 3, photo 4, photo 5, photo 6, photo 7)

Featured in the College Times

Last week, I was happy to share my thoughts on hot spring and summer trends for The College Times, and today the article is out. YAY! (Click here to read it). I sure do miss my college days, so it makes me really happy that I'm not too old to still have a voice in the college scene. haha.

I hope you enjoy the article and my tips! Happy Thursday!

Miami Heat & Angel Court Giveaway

The latest issue of WeLikeWeLove Magazine was kind enough to share a fashion spread featuring the styling work of myself and Jessie Artigue. (Click here to see) I'm happy to share the full shoot reveal today, as well as a special giveaway of a super unique and awesome necklace from Angel Court. Angel Court was our jewelry sponsor for this shoot, and we couldn't be more grateful. They are an awesome company with TONS of style.

You'll find the giveaway details at the end of this post. =)

Photography: Nick Duplessis Wardrobe styling: Alex Evjen and Jessie Artigue Makeup & Hair: Arthur Frederiko Models: Erin Beatty and Erin Thomas, The Agency Arizona Jewelry: Angel Court Location: 44 Monroe Clothes: Vintage and stylist owned

This awesome necklace in the photo just above is the one Angel Court is being kind enough to give away to one luck winner! It's called the Delta necklace and retails for $80.00. It's incredibly unique and would go with any outfit. Geometric shapes are totally in right now, so this is something I definitely would want to have!

To enter to win this necklace, please leave your name, email address and a comment about this post below.  The contest will close at Noon Pacific Coast Time on Friday, June 8th. The winner will be announced on Twitter, Facebook and in the comments section of this post. Please share and good luck.

Fashion on Display - Behind the Scenes

In case you didn't see yesterday's post, a fashion shoot collaboration that I was a part of has been featured in the latest issue of Meuse Magazine. I'm definitely still celebrating over here, and I wanted to share with you some behind the scenes shots of the process. (photos by Elizabeth Langford).

The shoot took place in a small window display of an art gallery in Downtown Mesa, Arizona. We basically were given a blank slate to work with, and brought it all to life using the interior design talents of Christina Brian.

We created about three different sets, which took about an hour preparation for each one. All of the team members really pitched in to make it happen as quickly as possible.

The shoot took place at the beginning of fall, so it was still pretty hot in Arizona. It didn't help to be in a non-ventilated space filled with sun light. I think we got a bit slap happy.

Thanks to a salon and boutique in one, Adorn Style Lounge, we were able to prep the model and change her outfits next door. Once Morgan was ready to start modeling we had to place her behind the glass, which posed a bit of a communication struggle. Let's just say Michelle and I used a LOT of faux sign language. haha!

We made sure to photograph every little detail because you never know what a publication is going to look for and need for their layouts.

If you are ever curious of what I look like when I'm hard at work, it looks a little something like this...

That is my analytical pose. haha. And, apparently I like to accessorize with rolls of masking tape.

Lessons learned from this shoot:

1. Set designers and prop stylists add so much dimension to a photo shoot. Can't wait to work with more.

2. Sticking a model in a glass box definitely makes it hard to communicate and fix the clothes when needed.

3. Working with a wonderful team of people committed to a vision can give you so much more than you imagined.

photographer // Michelle Herrick // www.michelleherrick.com
wardrobe stylist // Alex Evjen // www.avestyles.com
model // Morgan Kaiser // www.fordrba.com
hair & make up // Brittany & Cami // www.adornstylelounge.com
set design // Christina Brian // vivafullhouse.blogspot.com
photography assistant // Elizabeth Langford // www.elizabethlangford.com
wardrobe provided by // www.adornstylelounge.com
Meuse Magazine // www.meusemagazine.com